Northern Cricket Union club Dungannon CC have told the NCU of their intention to fold.

Dungannon CC, who finished bottom of NCU Section Three last term after losing all 12 league matches, have informed the union that they will not be taking part in competitive cricket next season.

In May, the club had issued a desperate appeal for players to help aid their quest for survival.

The club, which dates back at least as far as 1865, lost 20 players in the last three years, and 77-year-old Willie Adrain had to come out of retirement a couple of seasons ago to make up the numbers.

The situation eventually came to a head this campaign when only six players were available to travel for their league game against Newforge and they scratched. Now the predicament appears to have got the better of the County Tyrone club.

Adrain said in May: "The lack of support from schools in the area and from former players is most disappointing, and the few of us who are working to keep the club alive cannot go on for much longer without help on the playing and admin side."

Meanwhile, Cliftonville and Academy, who were both relegated from Section One this year, have formally merged.

• Australians "like to talk a lot" and England need to stay "calm" during the Ashes, according to the tourists' impressive all-rounder Moeen Ali.

Moeen (30) has recovered from a side strain and will play in England's final warm-up game against a Cricket Australia XI, starting tomorrow.

The first Test at the Gabba begins on November 23, with England looking to defend the urn they regained in 2015.

Moeen said: "It's about being ready for that first ball when it's delivered in Brisbane."

The Worcestershire player, on his first Ashes tour Down Under, says he is ready for the intensity of the series.

"Australians like to talk a lot, big themselves up," he said.

"That's part of the game. It's not something that I haven't had before. We must stay calm."